Communion

Next month, we will be celebrating Easter. And it is thanks to Jesus’ sacrifice that people are saved. Through his sacrifice, Jesus teaches us to love one another. He teaches us to give of ourselves for one another. So if children want to be good Christians, they must learn to imitate Jesus. Jesus does not want a world of division; rather, He wants unity, and that unity begins in the family, where children must love one another; not to squabble or accuse one another all the time as if they were enemies. In the homes where Jesus’ disciples and those who follow his example live, there must be a ‘competition’ of love, where everyone strives to love more in order to please Jesus. Instead of quarrelling, in such a home one will hear blessings and words of love, because everyone strives to be the first to love. The Easter message we are preparing is therefore a message of love and sacrifice. For to love, one must sacrifice oneself for those one loves; even if it causes us pain, because Jesus did not shrink from suffering in order to love us. And all the saints, all those who wish to follow Him, must put love above all else.

A short story: Saint Stephen

Once upon a time, there was a man called Stephen. He loved Jesus dearly; and he worked tirelessly for the poor, doing good for them. He never stopped preaching the Gospel either; he told everyone that Jesus is the Saviour, their Saviour. So many people followed him. They listened as he spoke to them about God. And when he spoke, his eyes would shine, and you could see the love he had for Jesus. He spoke beautifully about what Jesus had taught them and what He had done, and everyone was moved and wanted to love Jesus too.

However, one day, Jesus’ enemies began to say amongst themselves: ‘We must stop this man. We have killed Jesus. But if this Stephen carries on preaching like this and making people love Jesus, everyone will believe in Jesus and follow him. So we must silence him; we must kill him.’

They began to threaten Stephen, telling him not to speak to people about Jesus any more. Stephen just laughed; obviously, he loved Jesus so much that nothing in the world could silence him. So the wicked men seized him and led him out of the city. And Stephen kept looking at them without saying a word.

In his eyes there was so much love for these people who were harming him, but he knew that God loves these sinners and that Jesus had died for them; so, to imitate his Master, he too loved them and continued to hope that they too would one day become Christians. He continued to speak to them about Jesus and to invite them to conversion.

And as he spoke, the wicked men grew even angrier; they picked up huge stones and hurled them at Stephen, who fell and died, and he saw Jesus who came to take him in his arms and lead him to heaven. Stephen is the first martyr. He showed that we must strive to love with all our strength and to spread love wherever we are.

Henri Bayemi